Kingmaker

Lem vs. Introspection - Round 28

Lem at War

We were attacked twice today, once in the middle of the night, and once before dawn. We lost seven men, with sixteen more wounded and returned to the rear. There is never enough healing magic. We send the injured to the rear lines where the cleric adepts can heal them. They return later if their injuries allow.

New recruits come in at dawn. We put them on the wall while the veterans sleep. There’s little shade here, and some days the sun seems far too close overhead. Other days the clouds move in and its like the sun never existed at all. Today it rains ash. This is a place of extremes.

The demons mostly come at night, or on days when the sun is hidden. They usually have poor order, which works to our favor. The cliffs in this area of the rim funnel the enemy toward our position, an old fortification that has seen countless battles. Usually the demons seem happy enough to die snarling and stamping beneath the wall. The first wave last night were walking corpses that spit acid. They proved little threat.

Occasionally there will be a leader among the demons, something with more than animalistic intelligence. This was the case with the second wave of the night, in this case it was a winged creature that fired lightning from his hands. We didn’t seem him until he was close enough to the wall to catch several of our archers off their guards. Fortunately, they did not suffer.

Herodes and I must always be ready for their leaders. I’ve learned to save Springsnap’s bolts for the stronger demons, as their is seldom time to recover them from fallen enemies. As I write this, I have seventeen bolts remaining in my quiver. I have tried crafting my own, but there are no trees here, and what wood we have is suitable only to fuel the bonfires we keep at night. If I am lucky, the resupply run will bring more bolt with the new recruits.

When the more powerful demons show themselves, its up to Herodes and I to put them down as quickly as possible. Most aren’t expecting us among the other men, and leave themselves open to attack. When we are lucky they go down without a fight. When we are unlucky, others are brought into the fray. The lightning demon took both of our strengths to best him. The ones who died, died while we were distracted.

I’m not sure what I’m learning here. We fight, we bleed, we die, and the monsters keep coming. Surely we are saving lives by manning this wall, but we don’t see that from here. All I see are brave men going to their deaths. I don’t doubt that there is honor in how they die. But they deserve better.

Today I’m halfway through my tour. In another six months Herodes and I will return to Ursundova. When we leave, we are to have faith that other heroes will fill our place on the wall. So as long as there are brave men to fight it, this war will go on. The alternative is too terrible to imagine.

Iomedae inspires courage in the face of evil. She teaches sacrifice for the greater good. I see Iomedae’s spirit in the face of every man on the wall. I hope they see it in mine as well. I miss my home. I miss my friends. But I am needed here. I can not come home yet.

Nina, forgive me. You know you mean the world to me. But the this fight needs me. Iomedae’s blessing is a gift that is hard earned. She demands sacrifice. I am giving all I can.